Tina Turner’s hometown looks to honor late singer’s legacy with a statue
The passing of iconic singer Tina Turner still has the world in shock. The “Queen of Rock and Roll” died on May 24, 2023, at the age of 83. People from all walks of life and entertainers of every genre have paid tribute to the singer, as she was one of the century’s most influential artists.
One of the latest tributes to be announced in honor of the singer came from Bill Rawls Jr., mayor of Brownsville, TN, the hometown of the late performer. Rawls told TMZ he plans to erect a statue in the city to celebrate that native – and the city is behind him.
According to TMZ, Rawls proposed placing the piece in Brownsville’s Heritage Park near Carver High School, where Tina, then known as Anna Mae Bullock, attended high school.
“When Tina stepped on stage, she owned it. We want this statue to represent that passion. Tina was an inspiration to the entire world… She showed the people of Brownsville no matter where you start, you own your story about where you end up,” Rawls said.
The small western Tennessee town gave the superstar her flowers in 2014 with the opening of the Tina Turner Museum. The exhibit is part of the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center. The museum held a twilight memorial on Sunday to honor her life.
Precious memorabilia from the “Proud Mary” singer is housed in the preserved building of Flagg Grove School.
The one-room school was built by Turner’s great-uncle in 1889. She would later go on to attend.
At 11, Turner left Brownsville to live with her grandmother in Nutbush, TN. Nutbush is a small farming community less than 15 minutes from Brownsville. She would later document her childhood in the rural city in her 1973 hit, “Nutbush City Limits.”
The Tina Turner Museum at Flagg Grove School “includes an authentic chalkboard and original desks and benches preserved along with the structure.” The building also holds a collection of Turner’s items, including costumes, gold records and even her high school yearbook.
The museum is an official location along Tennessee’s Music Pathways.
Martie Bowser is a journalist and public relations professional in Charlotte, NC. She enjoys amplifying the voices of POC and women that fill a void within their community. Her favorite things to cover include “person of interest” pieces, small business highlights, pop culture commentary, entertainment features, and everything about Beyoncé. Her bylines can be found in Blavity, Black Excellence, Signature Bride, Black Wall Street Times, and HipHop Weekly. Martie can be reached via email at martiebowser@detourxp.com.
This story was originally published May 30, 2023 at 5:00 PM.